At Roots today, a sunflower opening its petals
We’ve seen few butterflies at home this year so it was especially good to see a Painted Lady at Roots today.
I took the following photo when in Penzance on July 9th and meant to show you on 11th, the anniversary of the wedding of Dylan Thomas and Caitlin Macnamara in the house opposite the Acorn Theatre in Penzance.
I haven’t joined in the Six on Saturday, now run by Jim, for a while but here are six for today.
I’m sure Jim would love to see you over on Garden Ruminations and, as always, if you want a peek over other people’s garden walls, then please pop over to his site where you find links to many more wonderful garden enthusiasts from all over the world. (Thanks Jude)
In Truro this morning I was very taken with the beautiful hanging baskets. On the way home, we admired a couple of the many baskets in Redruth from the car.
In Truro
In Truro
In Redruth
A lovely warm afternoon invited us into the garden with ice creams.
There are so few butterflies in our garden this year but today there was a Meadow Brown. You’ll have to look carefully to see it in the (rather dry) grass.
Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)
The flower bombs we bought in Amsterdam are developing but I don’t yet know what to expect as I don’t recognise any of the early leaves. 
The daisies are withstanding all the cold, wet and windy weather unlike the osteospernum which are looking very beaten down.
Our golden wedding rose has its first beautiful and highly scented bloom.
Lovely short walk in the gardens today after buying a new Clematis Montana with our daughter. The bluebells and rhododendrons are magnificent.
I took a posy to Sue-next-door this morning as today is the anniversary of her dear Bill passing. You can read more about the remarkable Bill Mitchell here.
Here is what Sue posted a couple of days ago, “On Tuesday it will be nine years since we lost our darling Bill. On his last day, surrounded by love, Mydd was holding his hand and offered to give him a manicure. He asked Bill what colour polish he would like. Bill said ‘Blue, the colour of the underworld’. So now we wear blue nail polish in memory of Bill. (Dear Bob, Bill’s brother, proudly paints a thumbnail, so that when people ask him about it he can tell them about the brother he misses so much). Please join me on Tuesday by painting one nail or all in blue and post a photo here”.
Hence the blue painted nail in honour of Bill as I take the posy next door.
It is such a pleasure to go into the propagating tunnel at Roots on a Tuesday and to see all the baby plants coming on so well.
Various tomatoes
Cucumbers
Runner Beans
Before we went upstairs to see the Cornish Myths and Legends exhibition last Monday, we went into the recently updated minerals gallery and it was breath-taking. Here are just two of the lovely pieces that caught my eye.
I love Primroses – I think I may have mentioned that before.
I took a phone call today from the daughter of a lovely old friend, Edna, and heard that she had died on Tuesday. We first met many years ago when my lovely Mr S was a student teacher and her husband, John, was his history lecturer. Edna and I became friends as we canvassed for the Labour party together and I baby-sat for their two children. Edna was always kind and funny, interested in life and happy to share ideas.
Their parties were great fun and the food always delicious. Her recipe for an amazing Chocolate Malakoff became a family favourite for special occasions. I must make it again soon and share the recipe with you, dear Reader.
We lost touch for some years and then Edna read one of my letters in The Guardian and tracked me down. We have stayed close ever since, sharing political ideas and favourite commentators, Heather Cox Richardson writing about American politics in particular. Edna loved my blog and often commented which was really lovely. She was much loved and will be much missed.
I may have been at this workshop if I hadnt already made plans to be creative this afternoon.
Yesterday I helped make some little clay creatures for a new project being created by my lovely neighbour and today I coloured the ones that were dry enough, ready for tomorrow.
All our lovely white tulips are now blooming.
Today is the 15th birthday of LiveWire no 3 and the poem for today in A Poet for Every Day of the Year is the delightful
Translated from the German by Jessie Lamont.
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Our border of primroses is coming on.
The daffodils we bought last Saturday in town are lovely. I usually prefer single blossoms but these doubles are really beautiful. I think we were told that they are Tamar Fire but these seem more delicately coloured than the ones I find online.
This afternoon I listened to a wonderful programme, ArtWorks on BBC radio 4: Lyse Doucet, the BBC’s Chief International Correspondent and regular visitor to Afghanistan, was talking to female Afghan poets about the landay: a 22 syllable Pashtun verse form they create, perform and share to speak of love, sex, war and hardship. There are 9 syllables on the first of the two line poem and 13 on the second. The poems were very moving and the programme is well worth finding on BBC Sounds. 
Commentator Award
